Spring clothespin



June 28, 1949; a. R. MORTON 2,474,753

SPRING GLOTHESPIN Filed July 29, 1947' INV NTOR. 6/6/7/7 R Mar- /7 Z/ W Wh ndam Patented June 28 1949 UNITED STATES :rA'rENT OFFICE SPRING CLOTHESPIN Glenn R. Morton, Grand Island, Nebr.

Application July 29, 1947, Serial No. 764,308

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to clothes pins, and more particularly to a clothes pin which is formed of two pieces and which exerts a spring grip on the article to be hung and on the clothesline.

With the foregoing in view, an object of my invention is to provide an improved clothes pin.

A further object is to provide an improved clothes pin comprisin two dissimilar parts piv-- oted together and wherein one part provides integral spring means for yieldingly clamping both parts together.

A further object is to provide an improved clothes pin comprising a substantially P-shaped pin of resilient material having a leg and an in tegral loop, a gripping member substantially coextensive with said leg, the lower end of said loop being pivoted to said gripping member intermediate the ends thereof and yieldingly pressing it into engagement with said leg.

A further object is the provision a clothes pin such as that last described of inter-engaging guide means on the upper end of said mem ber and on the upper end of said loop.

A further object is to provide an improved clothes pin as described hereinabove wherein the act of clamping an article of clothing and a clothesline between the upper ends of said leg and said member yieldingly forces the lower ends thereof together to distribute the strain throughout substantially the entire length. of K said leg and loop.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, and/or in the particular method or mode of operation, all of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art upon reference to the drawings in connection with the specification, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a clothes pin according to my invention applied to a clothesline, the clothesline being shown in vertical cross-section;

Figure 2 is a front view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, wherein like reference charactors have been used throughout to designate like parts, I designates a clothesline, and H designates generally a clothes pin according to my invention applied thereto. For simplicitys sake, the pin has not been shown gripping any clothes on the clothesline, The pin ll comprises a substantially P-shaped member formed of a leg l2 and a loop l3 integral therewith. The pin I! is formed of any suitable material, such as light metal or plastic, and is generally T- shaped in cross-section, whereby to provide a run l5 and a reinforcing rib or leg I throughout its length. The inner or gripping surface of the leg 52 is slightly outwardly bowed midway of its length, as at it, and may be provided at its upper end with an outwardly-bowed recess 22 for reception of the clothesline Ill. The lower inner surface of the leg l2 may be outwardly turned, as at 2|, to facilitate theapplication of a clothesline thereto. Intermediate the outwardly-directed portions 16, 22, and 2! are the high or bearing points I! and IS. The lower end 19 of the loop l3 terminates short of the inner surface of the leg l2 in opposite relation to the bowed portion 16. The upper inner surface of the loop I3 is formed to provide a depending guide flange 20 centrally of the inner surface thereof, the purpose of which will be described later.

The clamping or gripping member 36 comprises an elongated member having a substantially fiat surface in opposed relation to the inner surface of the leg I2, and which is formed with out- Wardly-bent upper and lower ends 3| and 32, respectively, to facilitate the application and gripping of a clothesline it. Such substantially flat surface of the member 30 is oppositely bowed, as at 3.3, from the bowed portion l6 of the member l2, and is provided intermediate the point 83 and the ends thereof with upper and lower bearing points 34 and 35, respectively, which are in opposed facing relation to the bearing points ll and i8, respectively, of the leg l2.

The opposite surface of the member 3! is formed with a central buttress 36 which merges into upper and lower central reinforcin ribs 31 and 38, respectively.

The outer face of the buttress 36 of the clamping member 30 is formed with an outwardlydirected T-shaped slot 39, which is adapted to have a comparatively loose fit with the free end H! of the loop l3 of the member II. The upper end 3| of the member 30 is formed to provide a central slot 40 longitudinally directed therein for a sliding engagement with the depending flange or rib 20 of the member II. The function of the rib 20 and the slot 40 is to provide guide means for the upper end of the member 30, whereby it is maintained in vertical and longitudinal alignment with the leg of the member ll, While, at the same time, permitting the member 30 to rock slightly on the end I9 of the loop I3, whereby the end 3| of the member 30 may be raised to slide over and grip the clothesline I0.

In operation, and when the clothes pin is detached from a clothesline, the bearing points [1, I8, 34, and 35 of the leg and clamping member, respectively, are yieldingly clamped together by the spring action of the end I9 of the loop in the socket 39 of the gripping member. The opposed outwardly-bowed portions 33 and I6 permit slight yielding of the leg l2 and member 30,, respectively, whereby to distribute the gripping strain throughout the length of the two members. When it is desired to apply the pin. to a clothesline, the lower ends 32 and 2| of the leg and clamping member, respectively, are applied to a colthesline, as indicated in broken lines at the lower end of Figure 1. The exertion of force on the clothes pin in a downward direction forces the clothesline III to the solid line position, which action rocks the upper end 3| of the clamping member 30 outwardly, as shown, and forces thelower end, particularly the bearing point 35, into yieldingly clamping engagement with the bearing point I8 of the leg IZ. At the same time, the substantially loose fit of the end I9 of the loop I3 in the socket 39 permits the member 30 to rock slightly on its rockable connection, while the upper end 31 is guided on the flange 20 by the slot 40 therein. This lever action of the clamping member 30 operates to distribute the clamping strain induced by the clothesline substantially throughout the entire length of not only the member II, but also the clamping member 30. In this connection, the bowed structure of the two parts operates to increase the natural springiness or resiliency of the material comprising the same.

While I haveshown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, it is not my intention to limit myself to the precise structure shown anddescribed' hereinabove, except as. hereinafter claimed...

I claim:

1. A clothes pin, comprising a substantially P-shaped resilient member including a leg and an integral loop, said loop including a lower end terminating short of and in slightly spaced relation to said leg between the endsthereof, a. clamping member interposed between saidlow-er end of said loop and said leg, 2. rockable connection between an intermediate portion of said clamping member and said lower end of said loop said loop resiliently clamping said clamping member against said leg.

2. A clothes pin, comprising a substantially P-shaped resilient member including a leg and an integral loop, the lower end of said loop terminating in slightly spaced relation to said leg between the ends thereof, a clamping member, a rockable connection between said clamping member and said lower end of said loop, said loop resiliently clamping said clamping member against. said leg, saidclamping member being formed to provide a socketv thereon between the ends thereof, and said lower end of said loop having a loose fit in said socket to provide said rockable connection.

A clothes pin, comprising a substantially P-shaped resilient member including a leg and an integral loop, the lower end of said loop termine-ting in slightly spaced relation to said leg betwee the ends thereof, a clamping member, a rockable connection between said clamping member and said lower end of said loop, said loop resiliently clamping said clamping member against said leg, said clamping memher being formed to provide. a socket thereon between thev ends thereof, and said lower end of said loop having a loose fit in saidsocket to provide-said rockable connection,. .a. guiderib depending from the upper endof said loop, the upper end of saidclam-pingmember being formed to provide a longitudinally-extending slot therein adapted for a sliding engagement. with said rib.

4. A clothes pin, comprising a substantially P-shaped resilient member including a leg and an integral loop, said loop including a. lower end terminating short 01 and in slightly spaced relation to said leg between the ends. thereof, a clamping member interposed between. said lower end of said loop and said leg, said lower end of said loop. and said clamping member including interengaging means providing a rockabl'e connection between an intermediate portion of said clamping member and said lower end of said loop, said loop resiliently clamping said clamping member against said leg, and an outwardlydirected' longitudinally-disposed reinforcing rib formed; along the outer surface of. said leg and loop.

GLENN'R. MORTON.-

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 447,504 Bowman Mar. 3, 1891 1,314,998 Witt Sept.- 2, 1919 

